Quick NHL News Tidbits - June 15, 2010

Brendan Morrison won't be back with Caps

Afinogenov not close on new deal

Burrows may start next season in sick bay

Brendan Morrison won't be back with Caps

The Caps do not plan to re-sign center Brendan Morrison, GM George McPhee said earlier today.

Morrison spent only one season in Washington and finished the season with 12 goals and 30 assists in 74 games.

The 34-year-old was signed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract last summer in the hopes he could rediscover the point-producing touch he had as a Canuck. But after a fast start in which he scored nine goals and racked up 14 assists in the Caps' first 29 games, Morrison faded in the second half and was scratched twice in the playoffs.

"We talked to Brendan last week," McPhee said. "He's a first class kid, but we aren't going to renew him."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalsinsider/brendan-morrison-wont-be-back.html

Afinogenov not close on new deal

Maxim Afinogenov is not close to re-signing with the Thrashers, according to his agent.

Don Meehan said Monday that after reviewing the one-year contract offer made by the Thrashers several weeks ago, he and Afinogenov “don’t agree at this point in time” with the terms offered by the team. Afinogenov , who tied for the team lead in goals last season (not including Ilya Kovalchuk), will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

“Where we go from here, I’m not sure,” Meehan said.

Meehan did not rule out Afinogenov returning to the Thrashers, but said a deal was not close. He said it was possible that he would meet with Thrashers officials at the NHL Draft, which will be held June 25-26 in Los Angeles. Thrashers general manager Rick Dudley said last week that all the players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents have been made offers that are in line with what the organization is willing to pay.

Meehan said the status of contract talks between his client Colby Armstrong and the Thrashers remains unchanged. After initial contract talks, the sides remain far apart on terms of a new deal. It appears that Armstrong will test the free-agent market come July 1.

http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-thrashers-blog/2010/06/14/thrashers-afinogenov-not-close-on-new-deal/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_thrashers_blog

Burrows may start next season in sick bay

The Vancouver Canucks may have to start next season without their top goal-scorer.

Winger Alex Burrows had shoulder surgery last week to repair a torn labrum and it is far from certain he will be ready to play when the Canucks open the regular season in early October.

Paul Corbeil, Burrows ' agent, said Monday that he does not expect Burrows to be ready for training camp and suggested he could also miss the early part of the regular season.

"He may not be ready to play until sometime in October or November," Corbeil said.

Burrows' injury is the same one winger Pavol Demitra had last season and the Canucks will have their fingers crossed that his recovery goes better than Demitra' s did. Demitra required a second surgery before he finally returned after missing the first 47 games of the regular season.

Corbeil said Burrows' shoulder began bothering him in the second half of the season, but said his client was determined to finish the season.

"He played with that during the season, but you know Alex is a big warrior," Corbeil said.

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/hockey/vancouver-canucks/Burrows+start+next+season+sick/3154686/story.html